The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace

To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins — be glory. Gal. 1.4. He gave himself for our sins. Now it must not be asserted, but proven that in all these places where he is said to be a propitiation for the sins of the world; and hath taken away our sins▪ speaking (as these Authors say) of the whole Visible Church, and not of the elect only that Christ hath died and by his death hath taken away some sins, and hath suffered for some sins, and not for all sins, not for the final unbelief of sinners, if it be said, that we cannot teach that Christ suffered for final unbelief, we grant it: But then we say that Christ suffered not for final unbelievers and for the other sins of final unbelievers, since suffering for sins and for persons that are sinners, to bring them to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. are conjoined. And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, 2 Cor. 5.19. Therefore there must be a pardoned and a justified world, and so a truly blessed world, as Paul and David teach, Psal. 3•.1, 2. Rom. 4. and so a loved, John. 3.16. and chosen world followed with the separating love of God to man which saves some foolish ones and serving diverse lusts, and saves not others; and so there must be a love and mercy of predestination, amor [Greek or Hebrew], not common ⟨p. 191⟩to all the world; as is clear, Tit. 3.3, 4, 5. Eph. 2.1, 2, 3,¹ 4, 5. We seek a warrant of Gods not imputing to this loved world their trespasses against the Law, and of his imputing to the same world the trespasses of rebellion and final unbelief: And how Christs blood, shed for persons, both reconciles them to God, and leaves them in wrath, imputes not their trespasses to them, and makes them blessed, as David says,